Bowling ball finger grip



- Nov. 4, 1952 c sc wo I 2,616,695

OW N v B LI G BALL FINGER GRIP Filed Feb. 11. 1949 Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT J OFFICE r 2,616,695 I j BOWLING BALL FINGER GRIP Conrad A. Schwoegler, Madison, Wis.

Application February 11, 1949, Serial No. 75;!)22 I 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a ball of the size used with tenpins and has the circumference of approximately twenty-seven inches and is equipped with finger holes to facilitate its use.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a new and improved finger hole construction for such balls. The conventional grip on a three finger bowling ball of this type is such that the bowlers middle and ring fingers are deeply buried and generally are inserted in the finger holes to the joint of the second knuckle,

and as a result, it is difficult for the bowler to release the ball. a

Another object is to provide a bowling ball with a thumb hole permitting entry of the entire thumb with a snug fit and one or two finger holes permitting entry of the fingers only to the joint of the first knuckle and with a snug fit, the holes being spaced apart sufiiciently to require substantially the maximum span permitted by a bowlers hand in gripping the ball. With this construction the bowler obtains a much higher degree of uniformity in the release of the ball and therefore in the delivery of the ball. The grip provides more rotation to the ball as it is delivered, and therefore a greater and more natural hook as the ball proceeds down the alley towards the pins.

A more particular object is to :provide a bowling ball of the two or three finger variety having a thumb hole drilled to a depth permitting entry of the entire thumb with a snug fit, one or two finger holes drilled to a depth permitting entry of the fingers only to the joint of the first knuckle thereof and with a snug fit, and a passage connecting the inner ends of said holes together permitting air to pass therebetween and to break any suction as the ball is delivered, the finger holes being located away from the thumb hole a distance substantially equal to the distance from a users thumb when inserted in the thumb hole to a point between the joint of the second knuckle and the joint of the first knuckle, respectively, of the fingers when laid out over the surface of the ball toward the finger holes, and generally to a point one-third the distance from the joint of the second knuckle to the joint of the first knuckle of the fingers, beyond the joint of the second knuckle.

-Other objects will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

'Fig. 1 is a central section through a bowling ball embodying a preferred form of the invention and along the line |l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 ma fragmentary top view of :thebowlparticular arrangementshown, it being contemplated that the invention is equally useful in a twohfinger ball and that various changes maybe made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim. I I

In the drawings, a bowling ball l ii isillustra'ted with a thumb hole II and finger "holes l2 and [3. This is a ball adapted "for use with tenpins and which in the adult size has a circumference of twenty-seven inches. The thumb hole is drilled to a depth I4 permitting entry of the entire thumb of the bowler and is preferably of such a diameter as to provide a snug fit for the thumb. The finger holes 12 and I3 are drilled to a depth l5 approximately 1% of an inch greater than the distance of the joint l6 of the first knuckle of the finger to the tip I! thereof. The inner ends of the thumb and finger holes are connected together by means of bores l8, l9 and 26 so as to permit air to pass therebetween and facilitate release of the ball by the bowler and particularly the finger after the thumb has been withdrawn sufficiently to permit air to pass through the thumb hole.

In drilling the ball the distance between the adjacent edges of the thumb h01e H and the finger hole 12 is determined by inserting the thumb in the thumb hole (or in the thumb hole of a measuring ball) and stretching the finger out over the surface of the ball so as to lie thereagainst and then measuring and locating the finger hole so that the edge [2 thereof nearest the edge I l of the thumb hole lies under a point A of the bowlers finger intermediate the joint B of the second knuckle of the finger and the point C of the first knuckle of the finger and removed from the joint B approximately one-third the distance between the joints B and C. With the holes so spaced (and the other finger hole correspondingly measured and spaced from the thumb hole), the bowlers hand is located somewhat as shown in dotted lines in the drawing when the ball is held ready for delivery.

In the drawings, the thumb hole is shown drilled parallel to a radial line 2| and at a distance therefrom or pitch 22 of {a of an inch. The finger holes are similarly drilled parallel to a radial line 23 at a pitch 24 of approximately inch. It has been found that these pitches are approximately the maximum at which the holes should be drilled and that the pitch may be anywhere from 0 to such maximum, although some bowlers may prefer them even outside of these limits. In the ball illustrated, the thumb hole is approximately one inch in diameter and the finger holes inch in diameter with the bores l8, l9 and 20 approximately inch in diameter.

Because the fingers are inserted only to the joint of the first knuckle, the ball is very easy to release from the bowlers hand. This results in a more uniform release and therefore provides for more consistency in the bowlers game.

Furthermore, because of the slight delay in the release of the fingers after the thumb as compared to a ball with a conventional grip, the inthe bowlers hand. Becaus it is not necessary for the bowler to grip the ball as tightly as with a conventional ball, the release thereof is more uniform with each delivery and permits more accurate bowling.

I claim:

A bowling ball having a thumb hole drilled to a depth permitting entry of a bowlers entire thumb with a snug fit, a finger hole drilled to a depth permitting entryof a finger to the joint of the first knuckle and a vent passage connecting the inner ends of said holes together to permit a restricted passage of air therebetween, the finger hole being located away from the thumb hole a distance approximately equal to the distance from the thumb when inserted in the thumb hole to a point beyond the joint of the second knuckle vention provides more rotation to the ball upon release and this results in a greater or more natural hook or curve as the ball rolls down the alley to the pins.

The thumb and finger holes are preferably provided with a medium bevel 25. The bridge 26 between the finger holes in the example shown is preferably approximately of an inch. By forming the thumb and finger holes'of a diameter fairly snug for the bowlers thumb and finger, there is a degree of suction which assist the bowler in lifting the ball with the result that it does not need to be gripped as tightly by muscular action as when there is no such "suction effect. In delivering the ball, the thumb slides out of the thumb hole first, thus permitting air to enter through passages l8, l9 and 20' to break the suction on the inner end of the finger holes and permit more easy withdrawal of the fingers during the final portion of the delivery movement of and one-third the distance between the joint of the second knuckle and the joint of the first knuckle of said finger fwhen stretched out fiat over the surface of the ball.

CONRAD A. SCHWOEGLER.

- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Klinkosh Aug. 8, 1950 

